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Classes

Final Fantasy 14 allows players to change between classes seamlessly using what Square Enix have termed the 'Armoury System'. In this system, whenever you equip a different weapon or tool that is not in your current class, you will instantly change to that class.

Classes are categorised in to four broad 'Disciple' categories, which contain multiple classes that represent the direction you are taking your character in. Breaking the hierarchy down further, each class contains multiple skills.

A players main class is determined by the skills that are at the highest levels. The purpose of this system is to allow players to define their own job based on a conglomeration of skills of their own choosing, rather than the game restricting the player to a certain path, as has been the case with MMORPGs in the past.

With this system, players are given an infinite amount of flexibility as to which skills make up their character and this also means that there are a vast difference amongst players in the game due to the differing sets of skills that different players will focus on. This is a huge different to current games in which you may encounter several Warrior/Monks, which are all essentially the same character aside from a few skill preferences.

Classes are all be allowed to be of a high level, no matter what class they are from. Therefore, you can max out every skill in the game without affecting any other classes.

On the official site, you are guided through a life in the day of 'Leeroy', a fictional character who changes his class on a regular basis. This is there to give you an idea of how you can quickly adapt your character to different situations. Leeroy starts the day as a Gladiator and receives an invitation to join a party with his friends, however they already have a lot of physical power in the team. Therefore, Leeroy dons a staff which changes his class to a Thaumaturge, which makes him a Disciple of Magic. Leeroy then wants to fish, so he equips a fishing rod, and making him a Fisherman, which makes him a Disciple of the Land. There are a few more classes changes Leeroy indulges in which you can read on the official site. [Note: This has been removed from the official site]

Available Disciplines

Disciple of War

Disciples of War are weapon-masters who live for battle and have available to them various classes that excel at dealing physical damage. Disciples of War will be able to equip a broad range of weapons, such as swords, spears, axes, katana, daggers, bows. Followers of this discipline devote themselves to the mastery of weapons and the wars waged with them. Through rigorous physical training they hone their minds and bodies into instruments of combat, every ready to make a decisive contribution to the cycle of conflict with plagues Eorzea.

Pugilist | Gladiator | Marauder | Archer | Lancer

Disciple of Magic

Disciples of Magic wield magic to either harm and heal. They are be adept at striking foes with destructive spells or assisting their allies with healing spells. As with mages in the past, their weapons will not be physically offensive but instead concentrate on boosting the user's power. The path of magic beckons to those with a restless desire to study and command sorcery in all its forms. Its adherents use artefacts and relics to call upon and channel forces within themselves and the aether around them, weaving their destructive and restorative spells in the service of Eorzea.

Conjurer | Thaumaturge

Disciple of the Land

Disciple of Land will cover most of the HELM activities of Final Fantasy XI. These include Hunting, Excavating, Lumbering, Mining and Fishing. By taking a tool in hand, players can improve their skills in a variety of professions. These harvesters of nature's bounty utilize an array of tools in their work with all forms of plants and minerals. Their trade encompasses knowledge of all of Hydaelyn's natural resources, be it in a cultivated garden or the great outdoors. As a cornerstone of Eorzea's economy, their impact on her inhabitants can hardly be overstated.

Miner | Botanist | Fisher

Disciple of the Hand

Disciple of Hand drive the manufacturing and production side of Eorzea. By equipping various tools, the user can enter a number of trades. This is similar to Final Fantasy 11 and other MMORPGs which have allowed players to practice woodworking, blacksmithing, goldsmithing, clothcrafting, leathercrafting, boneworking, alchemy and cooking. For crafters, the art of synthesis is at the very core of their way of life, driving their industry. They employ a veritable arsenal of tools in working everything from the most delicate cloth of the most resilient metal. Through their labours, the traditions of Eorzea are kept alive and her culture preserved.